The Niger State Government has launched an investigation into a suspected infectious disease following reports that an illness claimed the life of a child and affected other members of the same family, while urging parents to ensure their children complete routine immunisation to guard against vaccine-preventable diseases.
The development was disclosed in a statement by the Director of Information Services at the Ministry of Information and Orientation, Yunusa Saidu, who said the Ministry of Health responded immediately after a concerned father shared videos on social media alleging that a strange illness had affected his household.
During an assessment visit to the affected family, the Director of Public Health, Dr. Ibrahim Idris, said the swift response reflects the commitment of Governor Umaru Bago’s administration to safeguarding the health and well-being of residents across the state.
He stressed that every unexplained death deserves a comprehensive investigation and that any suspected disease outbreak must be treated with urgency to prevent further spread.
According to Dr. Idris, the affected children were evacuated to a health facility for detailed medical evaluation and treatment.
He disclosed that preliminary clinical findings suggest the illness may not be a previously unknown disease but one already familiar to medical professionals, with diphtheria among the conditions being considered.
However, he cautioned against speculation, emphasising that no definitive diagnosis can be made until laboratory investigations are completed.
Dr. Idris explained that samples have been collected for laboratory analysis to determine the exact cause of the illness and guide the government’s public health response.
He also revealed that health officials have commenced contact tracing in the affected community and schools attended by the children to identify anyone exhibiting similar symptoms and prevent possible transmission.
The public health expert urged parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive all recommended routine immunisations, noting that many life-threatening illnesses can be prevented through vaccination.
He further advised residents to seek immediate medical attention whenever they observe unusual symptoms rather than resorting to self-medication.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA), Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, said preliminary findings showed that the deceased child had received only partial immunisation, while some surviving children in the family had either not completed their vaccination schedules or were only partially immunised.
According to him, the findings reinforce the importance of routine immunisation in protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases and reducing childhood mortality.
Dr. Inuwa assured residents that the government would continue to provide updates as laboratory investigations progress and appealed to members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with health authorities.
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The health team also visited the Isolation Centre at the General Hospital, where the Executive Director of the Hospital Management Board confirmed that all affected family members had been placed on appropriate antibiotic treatment and were receiving adequate medical care.
Health authorities said that if laboratory tests confirm an infectious disease, surveillance activities would be intensified, contact tracing expanded and additional public health measures implemented to contain any potential outbreak.
The Niger State Government reiterated that complete routine immunisation remains the safest and most effective protection against vaccine-preventable diseases and encouraged parents to take advantage of immunisation services available at health facilities across the state.
